Cribbing machine



Jan. 21, 1947. D. M. PRAYTOR ETAL 2,414,767

CRIBBIN MACHINE Filed Dec 1945 FIG] I INVENTORS w: MP/FJYTOR BY Ava/0x (kg/{4w Jan. 21, 1947.- D, M, PRAYTQR HAL 2,414,167

CRIBBING MACHINE 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 1, 1945 ram/FY Patented Jan. 21, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .CRIBBIN G MACHINE iDennisM.Traytor and Birmingham,

Application December 1, 1945, Serial .No. 1632248 7 Claims.

.be simple and rugged of construction, economical in operation, and one which may be self-propelled.

.Afurther object iofour inventionis to provide ,a cribbing machine including a main frame upon which the working parts mounted/and a supplementary frame supporting a substantial proportion of the weight of the apparatus and which is adjustable with respect required depth.

A more specific object of our invention is to provide -a cribbing machine of the character designated which shall include a main frame supported on one rail of the railroad track, 'and a mounted thereon near the other end. A

supplementary frame is disposed between the digging unit and the main frame and connected respect to the transverse :frame, whereby the digging unit may beset ,at various depths.

,As .is well known in the .art to which our invention relates, .in1relayingrailroad rails, iparticularly withiheaviermails, when the lighter rail has "been removedyt :e .cross ties from which it has been ,removed must be trimmed with .an

adzing machine to fit the tie plates employed with-thenew rail beingnlaid. In order to use the adzing machine, it is necessary that all rock and ballast be removedfrom between the cross .ties at that location. After ballast has :remained in a railroad track for -a period :of years and has become thoroughly packed down, it is a very laborious operation to remove it manually, so

much so that it is prohibitive in cost. It isaccordingly a principal object of our invention to provide a simp1e,-rugged,*and relativelyinexpensive machinewhich shall be adapted t'o'be propolled by its own power on one rail of the railroad track anclpartially supported thereon, with a substantial portion of its weight supported by adjustable supplementary Wheels traveling on the ground, and havinga digging unit adapted to jfit .onerail has been down between the ties .wlhere Knox Kershaw,

Ala.

.IIIIII of Fig. 2;

.carried .by the frame members.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken the line .IVIV of .Fig. 2; and

Fig.5 is a detailed perspective view of a portion of the digging unit.

Referring now .to the drawings fora better understanding of our-invention, we show 'in Fig. 1 a railroad road bed including-cross ties .l0 and one rail .51, theotherrail having been removed. The

generallyalong .machine .comprises longitudinal main frame .members -I2 and it formed beams. Mounted between ,the .frame members 12 and l3.are apair of wheels Maud lthaving axles i! and .[8 :mounted in suitable bearings The axle Ll extendsinwardly ofthe roadlbed through the frame from structural steel member 13 and carries on its innerenda sprocket H) by means of on the track.

Mounted over the longitudinally extending frame is a transverse frame comprised of frame which the machine .is propelled The transverse frame extends across the road bed with one end .overhanging the tie plate seat 23in the cross ties. Secured torthe under side of the frame members 2i .and 2.2 .are longitudinally extending structural beams .24 and. 26.

The machine is in part supported by a supplementary frame may be on the road bed,.two

of the said Wheels .will'be resting on cross .ties I 0.

Spanning the longitudinally extending supplevmentary.fraine members 2,? and 255 are plates .38 and 3.9 disposed, respectively, near the opposite ends of the supplementary frame.

Corresponding plates wand 3.5 span the members 2 3 and IE5. .Ajhydraulic cylinder 4 is pivotallymountedat is Won the plate T89 and its associated plunger -42 is carried by the plate 38. A second hydraulic cylinder 43 is pivotally mounted on the plate 35 over the plate 39 and its associated piston member M is carried by the plate 39. Fluid under pressure for operating the cylinders is supplied through conduits 50 and 5B controlled by a valve 45. By means of the hydraulic cylinders 42 and 44, the elevation of the transversely extending frame with respect to the supplementary frame may be adjusted. The longitudinally extending supplementary frame members 21 and 23 are pivotally connected to the main frame members l2 and i3 by means of links 5| and 52. The link 5! is connected by means of a pin 53 to a bracket 53 mounted on the longitudinally extending frame member l3. At its other end, the link 5! is connected to the supplementary frame by a pivotal connection 56 with the end of the axle 38. The link 52 is similarly connected to the opposite end of the frame member by means of a pivot pin 51 and bracket 58, mounted on the main longitudinally extending frame member 13 and at its opposite end by means of a pin 59 to the end of the axle 34.

Mounted on the end of the transverse frame, overhanging the road bed adjacent the tie plate seat 23 is a rotary digging unit having an axle 6| extending transversely of and mounted in bearings 52 and 63, carried by the frame members 2| and 22, respectively. The digging unit comprises a wheel 34 mounted on the axle 6i and having teeth 63 mounted on its periphery. The teeth 56, as may be seen in Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawings, are inclined to the rim, alternately, with one inclined in one direction and the succeeding one in the other direction. The teeth are welded to the rim of the wheel 54 and each is provided with adjustable points comprised of rods 61 which pass through holes in the rim of the wheel and are held in place on the teeth 56 by means of U bolts 68. As is well understood, rock and ballast are very abrasive and by the means shown, as the points 61 are worn away, the rods may be pushed further outwardly to renew them.

At H we show an internal combustion engine of the type usually employed to drive motor vehicles. A clutch 12 and a well known form of three-speed and reverse transmission 13 transmitspower to a drive shaft 14. The clutch is operated by means of a lever sion by means of a lever 11. A1113 is indicated the usual power take-off associated with engines of the type indicated which is controlled by means of a lever 8| to drive a shaft 82 having a sprocket 83 mounted thereon which connects with the sprocket I9 on the axle H by means of a sprocket chain 84, whereby the apparatus may be propelled on the rail H in either direction, as desired.

The drive shaft 14 drives a countershaft 86 by means of bevel gears 81 and 88. The counter shaft 86 is mounted in suitable bearings 85 on the frame members 2| and 22 and has mounted on its ends V belt pulleys 89 and Bi, which drive the axle 5| of the digging unit through the medium of V belts 92 and 93 and pulleys 94 and 96 mounted on the ends of the axle 6|.

From the foregoing description, the operation of our improved cribbing machine will be readily understood. When rails are being relaid, it is 16 and the transmiscontemplated that they will be relaid on one side of the track at a time, for a. predetermined distance. The apparatus is mounted with the flanged wheels l4 and IE on. the rail ll, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of'the drawings, and the digging unit 34 is positioned between a pair of ties from which the ballast is to be removed. The hydraue lic cylinders 4| and 43 are operated by means of the valve 45 to lower the digging unit so that the teeth 66 engage the rock and ballast, the digging unit being driven by means of the power unit I I. It will be seen that by means of the hydraulic cylinders and their associated plungers, the unit can be gradually fed into the work as it is being performed. It will be noted that the operating handles for the clutches, the transmission, and the valve 45 are located so as to be accessible to an operators seat 91. Thus, one man, seated in the seat 31, can operate the machine. Whenever it is desired to move the apparatus from place to place, or to re-position it with the digging unit between the ties, the power take-off lever SI and the. transmission lever H, are manipulated to move the apparatus in the proper direction and at the desired speed.

The apparatus is so designed that substantially one half the weight thereof is carried by the main frame and Wheels M and I6, and the other half by the supplementary frame and wheels 29 to 33 inclusive. Whenever the transverse frame is raised with respect to the supplementary frame, by means of the hydraulic cylinder, there is necessarily a very slight lateral movement of the wheels 29 to 33 with respect to the ties but this is minimized by reason of the pivotal mounting of the supplementary frame and its pivotal connection with the main frame. The resistance to this slight movement is further minimized by the pneumatic tires on the wheels 29 to 33.

vIt will accordingly be apparent that we have devised an improved cribbing machine which is simple and rugged of design, easily manipulated, and one which may be readily positioned and ad justed for the work to be done.

While we have shown our invention in but one form, that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications, without departing from the spirit thereof, and we desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a cribbing machine for removing ballast from between the'cross ties in a railroad roadbed, a main longitudinal frame having flanged supporting wheels adapted to travel on one rail,

a transverse frame rigidly secured to the main frame and having one end overhanging the other side of the roadbed, a supplementary framepivotally connected to the longitudinal main frame and adjustably connected to the underside of the transverse frame intermediate the ends thereof, supporting wheels on the supplementary frame, and a power driven digging unit carried by the overhanging end of the transverse frame and disposed to remove ballast from between the ties. 2. In a cribbing machine for removing ballast from between the cross ties in a railroad roadbed, a main longitudinal frame having flanged supporting wheels adapted to travel on one rail, a transverse frame rigidly secured to the main frame and having one end overhanging the other side of the roadbed, a supplementary frame pivotally connected to the longitudinal main frame and adjustablyv connected to the underside of the transverse frame intermediate the ends thereof, supporting wheels on the supplementary frame, and a power driven digging unit carried bythe overhanging end of the transverse frame and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art disposed to remove ballast from between the ties, the supplementary frame supporting approximately half the weight of the machine.

3. In a cribbing machine for removing ballast from between the cross ties in a railroad roadbed, a main longitudinal frame having flanged supporting wheels adapted to travel on one rail, a transverse frame rigidly secured to the main frame and having one end overhanging the other side of the roadbed, a longitudinally extending supplementary frame disposed beneath the transverse frame intermediate the ends thereof, supporting wheels for the supplementary frame, a flexible connection between the supplementary frame and the main frame, adjustable hydraulic cylinders and pistons connecting thesupplemehtary frame and the transverse frame, and a power driven digging unit mounted on the overhanging end of the transverse frame.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which the supplementary frame is provided with a plurality of supporting wheels so spaced that at least two wheels are at all times resting on cross ties, and in which the supplementary frame is so disposed as-to support substantially half the weight of the machine.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which the supplementary frame is provided with a plurality of supporting wheels having pneumatic rubber tires and so spaced that at least two wheels are at all times resting on cross ties, and in which the supplementary frame is so disposed as to support substantially half the weight of the machine.

6. In a cribbing machine for removing ballast from between the cross ties in a railroad roadbed, a main longitudinal frame having flanged supporting wheels adapted to travel on one rail,

a transverse frame rigidly secured to the main frame and having one end overhanging the other side of the roadbed, a longitudinally extending supplementary frame disposed beneath the transverse frame intermediate the ends thereof, supporting wheels for the supplementary frame, a flexible connection between the supplementary frame and the main frame, adjustable hydraulic cylinders and pistons connecting the supplementary frame and the transverse frame, a power unit on the transverse frame, a rotary digging unit on the overhanging end of the transverse frame, and change speed and reverse power transmission means between the power unit and the digging unit.

7. In a cribbing machine for removing ballast from between the cross ties in a railroad roadbed, a main longitudinal frame having flanged supporting wheels adapted to travel on one rail, a transverse frame rigidly secured to the main frame and having one end overhanging the other side of, the roadbed, a longitudinally extending supplementary frame disposed beneath the transverse frame intermediate the ends thereof, supporting wheels for the supplementary frame, a flexible connection between the supplementary frame and the main frame, adjustable hydraulic cylinders and pistons connecting the supplementary frame and the transverse frame, a power unit on the transverse frame, a rotary digging unit on the overhanging end of the transverse frame, change speed and reverse power transmission means between the power unit and the digging unit, and power transmission means for selectively connecting the power unit to one of the supporting wheels for the main frame.

DENNIS M. PRAYTOR. KNOX KERSHAW. 

